Method for cooking food by burning denatured ethanol, and applicance for implementing said method

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a method for cooking food positioned in a receptacle, characterized in that: 
         a predetermined volume V of denatured ethanol with a proof strength of at least 80 •  is poured on to the food, the ethanol is ignited and left to burn completely.        

     The invention also relates to apparatuses for implementing the method, such as, for example an apparatus formed of at least a half-tube ( 3 ) closed off at each end by half-plates ( 4 ) in the shape of half-discs, each comprising a central cut-out ( 5 ) for guiding a skewer ( 2 ) or half-skewers ( 8 ) holding the food that is to be cooked.

The present invention relates to another method for cooking food and foran apparatus for implementing the method.

The prior art already knows numerous ways of cooking food such as, forexample, cooking it in a container which receives the heat and thentransmits it to the food (a frying pan, a saucepan, etc.) and cooking itin an enclosure or an oven, or cooking it by radiation (grilling) or byhot-air conduction.

These methods of cooking entail large amounts of energy and take arelatively long time because the heat energy progresses from the outsideof the food towards the core thereof at a relatively slow pace.

Furthermore, high-frequency radiation cooking (microwaving) heats thecore of the food directly without involving the receptacle but does notprovide a surface grill effect.

The barbecuing method allows a surface grill effect to be obtained butis not suitable for all types of food. Besides, cooking meat at hightemperature encourages the appearance of toxic products, such aspolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), benzopyrenes and heterocyclicamines (HCAs) which are produced respectively in the crispy part of thegrilled meat or in the smoke given off, which contaminates the meat.

Furthermore, it is known practice to impart flavours to the food eitherby direct contact with various spices or flavourings or by maceration,prior to cooking, in an alcohol-containing and scented marinade, oralternatively by basting with a sauce during cooking.

It is therefore known that alcohol is able to impart flavour in the hotor cold state.

Alcohol can also be “flambé”, that is to say ignited in the food butprimarily for aesthetic reasons, this operation not causing the food tobecome cooked. In all cases, the alcohol currently employed in cookingis a wine, or an alcoholic liquid of the eau de vie, vodka, cognac, etc.type with a proof strength of under 50^(•) or 60^(•) maximum, or anyalcohol that does not attract the current reduced rates in duty.

The invention consists in using the ethanol to cook the food by directcontact between the food and the flame without producing toxicderivatives and consists in a method for cooking food positioned in areceptacle, characterized in that:

-   -   a predetermined volume V of denatured ethanol with a proof        strength of at least 80^(•) is poured on to the food,    -   the ethanol is ignited and left to burn completely.

The invention also relates to an apparatus designed for implementing themethod formed of at least a half-tube closed off at each end byhalf-plates in the shape of half-discs, each comprising a centralcut-out for guiding a skewer or half-skewers holding the food that is tobe cooked.

According to various optional embodiments, the apparatus may comprise anautomatic means for turning the skewer or half-skewers and/or meansintended to collect the fat and/or means for continuously supplying thecooking ethanol.

The invention will be better understood with the aid of the descriptiongiven hereinafter with reference to the following attached figures:

FIG. 1 showing pieces of food placed by way of nonlimiting example in afrying pan into which a volume V of ethanol is poured,

FIGS. 2 and 3 showing the igniting of the ethanol and its burning,

FIG. 4 showing the cooked food after the end of burning,

FIG. 5 showing one nonlimiting embodiment of an apparatus forimplementing the cooking method according to the invention,

FIG. 6 showing, in longitudinal and vertical section, the apparatus ofFIG. 5 in which a kebab is positioned,

FIG. 7 showing, in longitudinal and vertical section, the apparatus ofFIG. 5, in which a sausage is positioned.

The basic variant of the novel cooking method according to the inventionis to cut the food into pieces that are placed in a receptacle, to poura predetermined volume V of denatured ethanol with a proof strength ofmore than 80^(•) on to the food (FIG. 1), then to ignite the ethanol(FIGS. 2 and 3).

When the ethanol has been completely burnt away, burning stops and thepieces of food are instantaneously and completely done (FIG. 4).

By way of indication, to cook 400 g of meat or sausages or crustaceans,a volume V of 10 cl of ethanol with a proof strength of 95^(•) may beprovided.

The burning of the ethanol lasts for a few minutes and produces ablue-to-yellow flame measuring 20 to 30 cm, or even 50 cm if thereceptacle is shaken.

Cooking takes place by direct contact between the food and the fuel andwith the flame and this is something that is entirely novel bycomparison with traditional cooking methods and does not produce toxicsubstances as barbecuing does.

This is because the burning of ethanol produces only water and carbondioxide CO₂.

According to a variant of the cooking method, use may be made of scentedor flavoured ethanol obtained in various ways:

-   -   by adding pepper or spices or flavourings to the cooking        ethanol,    -   by infusing aromatic herbs (for example thyme, rosemary, etc.)        or by macerating fresh plants (for example: sweet peppers,        garlic, etc.) in the ethanol and prior to cooking so that the        ethanol picks up the flavours. Infusion or maceration may be        quick, of the order of 24 to 48 h, and once flavoured, the        ethanol can be used, filtered or otherwise, to cook the food        using the method just described,    -   by flavouring with aromatic extracts of an industrial type        (essences, concentrated oils, for example).

The cooking method according to the invention is particularly suited tomeat, kebabs, sausages, fish or crustaceans which may or may not be cutup into pieces according to their size, and to kebabs. For example, andnonlimitingly, the pieces have a volume contained inside cubes with aside length measuring 1.5 to 2.5 cm. Of course, food that is not verybulky (intended for deep frying, prawns, etc.) or food cut into slicesdoes not need to be cut up.

Ethanol with a proof strength of over 80^(•) and preferably with a proofstrength of about 95^(•) is preferably used.

However, it is obvious that while an alcohol with a proof strength ofunder 80^(•) is not suitable for cooking, it does, in spite of thatretain its flavour extraction ability and could in spite of everythingbe used to prepare concentrates intended to make up the final fuel.

For example, ten litres of 80^(•) ethanol are used to extract theflavours from ten kilos of extra-strong chilli peppers. This mixtureknown as an alcoholate is mixed with 200 litres of 96^(•) alcohol toyield 210 litres of 95.23^(•) alcohol.

The advantages of the method are, in particular, as follows:

-   -   the juices of the food are fully retained because the heat        completely envelops the pieces,    -   cooking without added fat,    -   cooking without odour,    -   rapid cooking (1 to 5 min),    -   fuel-economic cooking (about 1 1 of 95^(•) ethanol for 4 kg of        food),    -   use of denatured alcohol, that is to say alcohol unsuitable for        direct consumption (because of the addition of the flavours) and        on which the duty is far lower,    -   simplicity of the means used,    -   ability of the alcoholate to impart the scents and flavours        after burning, making it possible to envisage a variety of        varied scents and flavours,    -   possibility of using this method to seal meat, cut up or        otherwise, without cooking it,    -   the great amount of heat given off has a bactericidal effect.

Finally, it is recalled that denatured ethanol is an ethyl alcoholrendered unfit for consumption according to the legislation in force andobtained by the fermentation of sugary plants. The invention thereforeoffers a novel commercial outlet for denatured ethanol in particular,but nonlimitingly, to ethanol obtained from sugar cane, beet, etc.

The invention therefore consists in using the LCV (calorific value) ofthe ethanol to cook food by direct contact between the food and theburning ethanol.

This combustion is therefore performed in the liquid medium (ethanol)and stops as soon as the said liquid has been completely exhausted byburning, avoiding any formation of toxic residues.

An apparatus for one exemplary implementation of the cooking methodaccording to the invention is now described.

This nonlimiting example of implementation relates to the cooking ofkebabs or of food packaged in a casing, for example sausages.

The cooking of kebabs is described hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 5and 6.

The kebabs (1) are conventional kebabs formed of cubes of meat,vegetables, fish, offal, etc. threaded on to a stake or a skewer (2) andmay have a size outside of the conventional standards (1 kilogram oreven more).

Unlike conventional cooking on a grill where the kebabs are subjected toa method of cooking by radiation of heat, the cooking method usingethanol allows the food contained on the kebab skewer to be cooked bydirect contact with the ignited ethanol.

To do this, the kebab is positioned inside a half-tube (3) made ofstainless steel or some material able to satisfy both the temperatureand hygiene requirements.

The half-tube (3) in which the kebab is positioned is closed off at eachend by semicircular plates (4) made of the same material as thehalf-tube, so as to form a sealed trough.

Each end of the half-cylinder comprises a central cut-out (5) which willallow the kebab to be guided such that the kebab is correctly centred.

The half-cylinder has a diameter and a length which are determined bythe size of the kebab to be cooked.

Development of future apparatuses using this cooking method alreadyentails the half-cylinders being removable and of different sizes bothin terms of their diameter and in terms of their length.

As far as the actual cooking is concerned, the kebab of food for cookingis positioned in a half-cylinder of a diameter and of a length which issuited to the kebab.

Suited is to be understood as meaning that the kebab must occupy amaximum amount of space in the half-cylinder while at the same timebeing able to rotate freely on itself without ever touching thehalf-cylinder as this could impede the rotation of the kebab.

Once the operator has made sure that the kebab is free to turn onitself, he fills the half-cylinder with a volume (6) of flavouredethanol determined by the size of the kebab and by the desired degree ofcooking, for example 2 to 3 cm³.

The operator then lights the ethanol either by hand or by an automaticmeans.

Once the ethanol has been lit, the operator turns the kebab eithermanually or by an automatic means, and for this reason, a motorizeddrive for the skewer (2) may be provided.

The rotating kebab will then absorb ethanol in the bottom part of thehalf-cylinder and will burn upon contact with the oxygen in the air whenthe upper part of the kebab comes out of immersion. When combustion ofthe ethanol is over, the kebab is cooked.

It should be noted that forthcoming developments in this type ofequipment will lead to apparatuses allowing several kebabs of differentsizes to be cooked at the same time by providing several half-cylinderson the same apparatus.

In addition, as with conventional cooking, it is possible in this way tocook sausages (7) by replacing the stake or skewer (2) with twomini-skewers with claws (8) (see FIG. 7).

Finally, it is certain that improvements can be made to thehalf-cylinder so that the ethanol can be supplied continuously or so asto be able to improve the shape of the half-cylinders by combiningsmaller half-cylinders intended to collect any fat resulting fromcooking in ethanol.

In any event, it is preferable for the space between the kebab (or thesausage) and its container in the form of a closed half-tube to besmall, for example to the order of 1 to 3 mm, so as to increase thedepth of alcohol for a predetermined cooking volume and thus reduce theheight of the flames.

1. Method for cooking food positioned in a receptacle, characterized inthat: a predetermined volume V of denatured ethanol with a proofstrength of at least 80^(•) is poured on to the food, the ethanol isignited and left to burn completely.
 2. Method according to claim 1,characterized in that the proof strength of the ethanol is preferablybetween 94^(•) and 96^(•).
 3. Method according to one of claims 1 to 2,characterized in that the ethanol is scented beforehand by macerating orinfusing ingredients.
 4. Method according to claim 3, characterized inthat the ingredients are chosen from the group (aromatic herbs, freshplants, spices, condiments, vegetables, flowers).
 5. Method according toone of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the food is cut up intopieces beforehand.
 6. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5,characterized in that the pieces have a volume contained approximatelyin cubes with a side length of 1.5 to 2.5 cm.
 7. Method according to oneof claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the volume V is determined withrespect to the mass of food to be cooked in the proportion 1 1 of 95^(•)ethanol to about 4 kg of food.
 8. Apparatus for cooking food,characterized in that it is designed to implement the method accordingto one of claims 1 to 7 and characterized in that it is formed of atleast a half-tube (3) closed off at each end by half-plates (4) in theshape of half-discs, each comprising a central cut-out (5) for guiding askewer (2) or half-skewers (8) holding the food that is to be cooked. 9.Apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that it comprises anautomatic means for rotating the skewer or half-skewers.
 10. Apparatusaccording to one of claims 8 to 9, characterized in that it comprisesmeans intended to collect the fat.
 11. Apparatus according to one ofclaims 8 to 10, characterized in that it comprises means forcontinuously supplying the cooking ethanol.